self-indulgence, bringing poverty and gloom, wretchedness and terror on the home, and giving to children a hideous inheritance of disease and constitutional tendencies to the same vice. 4 .. It opens t?e doo:r for other vices. Instead of pleading intoxication as an excuse for a crime committed ID the madness of drink, a man should be made to foci that the wickedness of putting himself into such a condition was a"[!Tavated 00 by the terrible results. II. THE TEMPTATION. In order to remedy the fearful evil we must consider how it arises. 1. From customs of sociability. Drinking has been regarded as an almost necessary accompaniment of friendly intercourse. 2. From lack of mental ~upation. Men spending hours together of a. winter's night without any education to supply food for the mind resort to the glass as the one available relief from the tedium of doin"' nothing. 3. The craving for nervous stimulation. This is the real thirst of the exces~ sive driuker. What is called "low spirits," resulting from general ill health, or nervous debility, or trouble, or as the natural conseque:i.ce of previous indulgence, creates the craving for stimulants. Early in the present century, Lord Jeffrey quoted a statement of a physician of Liverpool, respecting some of the most prosperous merchants of that town. "He informs me," said the lord advocate, "that few of the richer sort live to be fifty, but die of a sort of atrophy. They eat too much, take little exercise, and, above all, have no nervous excitement." This condition tempts to indulgence in nerve-stimulants. III. THE ANTIDOTE. We must have an antidote if we would remedy the evil. Mere negative abstinence without anything to support and encourage it is impossible on a large scale and in the worst cases. St. Paul, by a flash of inspiration reveals the cure. "Be filled with the Spirit." 'l'hese are old words. Yet they read strangely in the present connection-so little have they been heeded by zealous but unimaginative and unspiritual social reformers. We are to pray for the Spirit or God which Obrist assures us will be given to all who ask for it (Luke x.i. 13). How is this to counteract drunkenness? 1. It counteracts the craving for nervous stimulation. It is itself a pure and vitalizing spiritual stimulus, infusing at once restfulness and energy. 2. It supplies interest and occupation. For the Spirit of God is the inspiration of thought and power. 3. It purifies and elevates social intercourse. They who aro filled with the Spirit will find that "singing and making melody in their hearts" is a more congenial accompaniment of social intercourse than drinking strong drin.ks.- W. F. A. Ver. 19.-0hristian worship. We have here, not only an intereoting picture of worship as it was conducted in the early Church, but also apostolio directions for Christian worship tho.t may be applied to all times. Consider some of the chief fea'l;ures of this worship.· I. IT IS PURE. The context shows that this point was of especial interest under the circumstances that obtained when the Epistle was written. The pure and simple observances of the Christian assembly at Ephesus must have stood in striking contrast to the riotous orpes that characterized the heathen festivities. In those pagan ceremonies intoxication and licentiousness were recognized accompaniments. Instead of indulging in drunkenness, the Christians seek to be filled with the Spirit; abandoning immoral practices, they occupy themselves in social worship by singing and ma.king melody in their hearts. Pagans separated morality from roligion. To Christians neither is possible without the other. Christian worship must be offered up in tho beauty of holiness. Christian conduct is purified and elevated by the inspiration of worship. II. IT Is SPIRITUAL. We are to make melody with our "heart." The heart stands, not for the feelings only nor chiefly, but generally for the inner lifo. Worship must begin here, or the richest music and the sweetest song will be an empty mockery. Whatever be our forms of worship, we have constantly to remember that the spiritual God can only be really worshipped in spirit, in inward thoughts and feelings of devotion, III. IT IB EMOTIONAL. Religion is not all feeling. It is based on convictions, and it develops into actioas. But religion does not dispense with emotions. It touches our whole DAture-tht1 emotional part with the rest. It makes great use of feelings as 25-! THE EPISTLE TO 'l'HE EPHESIANS. [cu. v. 1-33.
sprin~ of active and ~yml?athetic influenc~s: We ou_!(ht to cherish feelings of love and adorat10n. In worship this element of rehg10n finds 1ts natural scope e.nd exercise. IV. IT IS JOYOUS. Instead of gloomy rites and bloody sacrifices Christians have music and song in their worship. 'l'hey are living under a gospel and should echo'.back the gla_d tidings of God's love. They are coming _to a Father and should approach J11rn with happy home-confidence. They are fol\owmg Christ, who gives his joy to his people (John xv. 11). . "."· IT IS voc.u.. It begi~s in the heart, but it doe_s ~ot remain hidden there. Deep we~g naturally wells out m strong utterance. Religious emotion is encouraged and , s,i;:tcd by adequate expression. Of all pa:·ts of religion thanksgiving should be least ~-c;:ern"<l. ,L IT IS llUSIC.U.. "Making melody." We cannot make the service of praise too k':'.:a_tiiul, because we should offer to God l'.hat is best in form as well as in substance, :1:id ~use the music of sc1ng assists the feeling that it expresses. Slovenly sinaina 0 is a mark of indiJierence and irreverence. "'